


Ten of Swords

by Basingstoke



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-03
Updated: 2009-12-03
Packaged: 2017-10-04 03:37:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basingstoke/pseuds/Basingstoke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Post-series.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Ten of Swords

**Author's Note:**

> Post-series.

There was an automatic shuffling device in the center of the table and genteel wooden holders for the cards. Wesley played for Charles, as they needed four and Charles hadn't yet arrived.

 

They were passing to the right, so Wesley slipped the ace of clubs, ten of clubs, and nine of clubs into Charles's hand. He passed the king, queen, and ace of spades to Lilah, accepted the ace, king, and queen of diamonds from Lindsey, and opened the game with the two of clubs from his own hand and the ace of clubs from Charles's. Lilah played the ace of spades and Lindsey the jack of diamonds, so Charles lost the hand.

 

Lindsey glanced upwards as the ceiling shook. "Rebuilding already," he said. "How many stories this time, do you think?"

 

"The Sears Tower has 110 stories and the Petronas have 88 each. Between those two," Lilah said.

 

"You don't think they want to top the Sears Tower?" Wesley asked. His voice was barely a croak; he was scorched still.

 

"Ostentatious," Lilah said. "Tacky."

 

"Didn't realize that was a concern," Lindsey said.

 

Wesley smiled slightly and considered Charles's hand. He played the jack of spades. Lilah played the queen of spades and Lindsey the ten of diamonds, so Wesley played the king of clubs and Lilah lost the hand.

 

Lilah played the five of hearts, Lindsey the four of hearts, Wesley the ace of diamonds, and Charles the ten of clubs, so Lilah lost again.

 

Lilah played the king of spades, Lindsey the nine of diamonds, Wesley the king of diamonds, and Charles the nine of clubs. Lilah lost for the third time.

 

"Not your game, I see," Wesley said. He coughed and rubbed his chest.

 

"Guess not," Lilah said. Lindsey frowned at her.

 

Lilah played the six of hearts, Lindsey the three of hearts, Wesley the queen of diamonds, and Charles the two of spades. Lilah lost for the fourth time.

 

Wesley's ribs creaked inside his chest. "Excuse me," he said, and coughed a blood clot into his handkerchief.

 

"It'll pass," Lilah said. "Promise."

 

Lilah played the seven of hearts, Lindsey the two of hearts, Wesley the queen of clubs, and Charles the three of spades. Lilah lost.

 

Lilah played the eight of hearts, Lindsey the eight of diamonds, Wesley the jack of clubs, and Charles the four of spades. Lilah lost.

 

Lilah played the nine of hearts, Lindsey the seven of diamonds, Wesley the eight of clubs, and Charles the five of spades. Lilah lost.

 

"Does this game strike you as pointless?" Lindsey commented.

 

"Better than staring at the walls, believe me," Lilah said.

 

Wesley coughed up another clot. The pain didn't seem to be easing, but he was patient. Certainly it wasn't going to get any worse.

 

Lilah played the ten of hearts, Lindsey the six of diamonds, Wesley the seven of clubs, and Charles the six of spades. Lilah lost.

 

Lilah played the jack of hearts, Lindsey the five of diamonds, Wesley the six of clubs, and Charles the seven of spades. Lilah lost.

 

There were footsteps on the spiral staircase and all three tensed and watched the stairs. A man's feet emerged and Wesley clenched his hand on the table.

 

But the man was thin and white and terribly clean. "Hey," he said. "Uh, are you supposed to be down here?"

 

"Yes," Lindsey said.

 

"Unfortunately," said Wesley, turning back to his cards.

 

"This is the archives, right?"

 

"Mm-hm," Lilah said, cupping her chin in her hand.

 

"Well, I need a file," he said, relaxing. "Okay?"

 

"Do you?" Lilah smiled slightly.

 

"So are you going to get it for me?"

 

"Oh hell no," Lilah said. Lindsey just laughed.

 

"But..." The boy sounded perplexed. "You're staff. I mean, why else would you be down here?"

 

"This I'm bored with," Lindsey said to Lilah.

 

"You get used to this too," Lilah replied.

 

Lindsey turned to the boy. "Did you read the fine print on your contract before you signed it?"

 

"I graduated from *Harvard*," the boy said. Wesley didn't need to see his face to know the look he had on it.

 

"Yeah, well, college doesn't teach you everything. Scram," Lindsey said. He pointed his fingers in the shape of a gun at the boy, and when he lowered his thumb, they were alone again.

 

Wesley coughed again. The pain didn't seem to be easing, but his chest was clearing, at least. He refolded his handkerchief in his lap. "I'd like to finish, if you don't mind."

 

Lilah played the queen of hearts. Lindsey played the four of diamonds. Wesley played the five of clubs. Charles played the eight of spades. Lilah lost again.

 

"Excuse me," Wesley said, and bent over, wracked with coughs. He cracked his head on the table with a particularly violent spasm and Lindsey grabbed his arm, steadying him. He spat a large black glob of blood onto the floor. "Terribly sorry," he said, feeling light-headed.

 

Lindsey held his arm until Wesley could sit up again. Then Lilah played the king of hearts, Lindsey played the three of diamonds, Wesley played the four of clubs, and Charles played the eight of spades. Lilah lost.

 

One card left. "I am absolutely not playing a full game with these damned cards," Lindsey said. "I'd rather play Scrabble. Hell, I'd rather play Candyland!"

 

"Chill," Lilah said.

 

"Over cards this *is* chill," Lindsey said.

 

Lilah put down the last card, her ace of hearts. Lindsey played the three of diamonds. Wesley played the three of clubs. As Wesley set down the ten of spades for Charles, he heard a boot on the stairs.

 

Lilah lost the hand, thus running the hearts and winning the trick. She lined the winning cards up and smiled as Wesley turned and looked at the stairs.

 

Another step, tentative, and Wesley stood up. "We're down here," he said softly.

 

Charles rounded the spiral. "Hey, English," he said. He leaned against the railing, arms folded against his chest, sticky blood dark on his clothing. His eyes flickered over Lindsey and Lilah and the table. "Hey."

 

"It ain't heaven, but there's worse hells than this," Lindsey said.

 

"I thought it was supposed to stop hurting," Charles said, stepping down carefully. Inside a cut in his sleeve, dark skin dulled with blood splayed around red muscle and brilliant white bone.

 

"It will," Wesley said. "Come and sit down." He put his arm around Charles and they limped to the table together.

 

End.


End file.
